Behavioural studies of people’s attitudes to wearing hearing protection and how these might be changed.

This report describes a study in which the various factors influencing workers’ attitudes and behaviours towards hearing protection were examined. Subsequently, workplace intervention programmes were designed and carried out to improve the acceptance and overall use of hearing protection. The results of these interventions are discussed in detail.

This work was carried out in two distinct phases. In Phase 1, a range of companies with noisy processes was surveyed and information was collected from employers and employees by means of self-administered questionnaires. These identified various organisational and personal factors that play a major part in worker behaviour.